CHOOSE APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF USAGE

SEPTEMBER 11, 2015

 Just as you choose clothes appropriate to the
occasion to your role, to your age and
personality, you also choose English words
appropriate to your audience, to your purpose
and to the occasion.
Im sure you wouldnt use these words in writing
to the UP Registrar: Man, its thrilling to enroll in
this cool program. Rather, youd write, I am
happy to enroll in the distance education
program.
These two sentences illustrate the two varieties
of STANDARD ENGLISH the formal and informal.
 When youre interviewed for a job, when
you present a good report, or when you
write term papers, theses, and formal
essays.

Youre serious and objective. You have to

observe the norms of standard English (in
grammar, spelling, and punctuation).
 When you talk with family members or close
friends, or when you write a personal letter, an
informal essay, or a diary entry.
You borrow language of everyday conversation,
you take a casual tone and have a relaxed
attitude towards the norms of standard English.
You may also use colloquialisms, sometimes
slang, even jargon.
Contractions, conversational tags, and
incomplete sentences are all used in informal
writing.
Informal: The teachers slammed the principal
for changing his tune on the issue.
Formal: The teachers criticized the principal
for charging his views on the matter.

Informal: BLIMS furniture may not be real

smooth, yet, its in and pricey.
Formal: BLIMS furniture may not be very
comfortable but it is fashionable.
 Standard
Formal
Informal
Colloquial
Slang

In the dictionary you see these marks: Colloq.,

Slang, Illit. Let these labels of marks in the
dictionary guide you about the restricted
appropriateness of a word. If there is no mark,
the word is appropriate at all occasions.
 Substandard (sub = below) English is not
accepted by the educated. There are two
levels: slang and illiteracies.
Usually figurative and exaggerated, slang
uses colorful words and phrases like hoopla,
spin, raunchy, party pooper, and groovy,
awesome, etc.
Examples:
Slang: Scram! Lemme go!
Colloquial: Get out! I want to go!
Formal: Leave the room. I want to
leave!
 Sometimes called barbarism
words and expressions which are not
found in the English dictionary and which
are not recognized by reputable speakers
and writers.
Examples:
Coronate for crown
Busted for rejected
Drounded for drowned
Overspeeding for speeding
Auntie for aunt
 Meaningless chatter
Specialized language of a group or profession
The problem with this shop talk is that
people who do not belong to the profession or
group find difficulty understanding it.
Examples:
has the capacity to for can
machine functionally impaired for machine
breaks down
exhibits certain tendencies for tend to
 Through the years, English, a very dynamic
language, has not only acquired new words
but also added new meanings to its old
words. Before, to be gay is to be happy,
today, to be gay spells a discontent with
ones sex. Maggots, fey, nymph, and a host
of words have acquired unfavorable
connotations.
 Biased against women.
Refers to inappropriate and unfair use of
language to reinforce male dominance in
society and to stress the demeaning role of
women.
Even if you dont intend to, you sometimes
refer to women as the weaker sex, or
the girls, and sometimes to someone as
wife of --- or mother of making them
appear as appendages to men.
Masculine marked Alternatives
Chairman Chairperson
Forefathers Ancestors
Fellowmen Other people
Kinsman Relative
Man Human, individual
Spokesman Spokesperson, representative
Salesman Salesperson
Mother tongue Native language
Mailman Mail carrier
Businessman Business executive
Cleaning woman Housekeeper
housewife Homemaker
 Refer to the standardized mental images
about groups of people.
Examples:
Genius with glasses
Passionate French lover
Man-hunting female
Carefree Visayans
Toughie Batanguenos
Expressions that have been troublesome to
Filipinos.
Examples:
1. Ashamed does not mean shy or timid. It
refers to a strong feeling or guilt.
Wrong: She is ashamed to sing before the
group.
Correct: She is shy to sing before the group.
Examples:
2. Among vs. between. These two
prepositions are not interchangeable;
among is used for three or more people,
between is used for two.
Correct: The prize will be divided equally
between the two claimants.
Correct: Betty is the most considerate among
the four sisters.